Florida

Residential assisted living licensing rules and official state resources

Licensure term: Assisted Living Facility
Resident capacity: 21 max - over 6 requires fire suppression
Staff ratios: Facilities must maintain the following minimum staff hours per week:
Cost of licensing: $387.73 + $64.96 per bed
Bedroom square footage: No set square footage requirements. Physical Plant rules/regulations link below:
Memory care: (10) ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DISORDERS (“ADRD”) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. Facilities which advertise that they provide special care for persons with ADRD, or who maintain secured areas as described in Chapter 4, Section 464.4.6 of the Florida Building Code, as adopted in rule 61G20-1.001, F.A.C., Florida Building Code Adopted, must ensure that facility staff receive the following training.

Full requirements

Regulatory Agency: Agency for Healthcare Administration
Contact Phone Number: Keisha Woods, MPH Manager, Assisted Living Unit (850) 412-4304
Licensure Term(s): Assisted Living Facility
Census Requirements: 21 max - over 6 requires fire suppression
Qualifications for Managers: An administrator must: 1. Be at least 21 years of age; 2. If employed on or after October 30, 1995, have, at a minimum, a high school diploma or G.E.D.; 3. Be in compliance with Level 2 background screening requirements pursuant to Sections 408.809 and 429.174, F.S.; and 4. Complete the core training and core competency test requirements pursuant to Rule 58A-5.0191, F.A.C., no later than 90 days after becoming employed as a facility administrator. Individuals who have successfully completed these requirements before December 1, 2014, are not required to take either the 40 hour core training or test unless specified elsewhere in this rule. Administrators who attended core training prior to July 1, 1997, are not required to take the competency test unless specified elsewhere in this rule. 5. Satisfy the continuing education requirements.
Qualifications for Caregivers: (a) Within 30 days after beginning employment, newly hired staff must submit a written statement from a health care provider documenting that the individual does not have any signs or symptoms of communicable disease. The examination performed by the health care provider must have been conducted no earlier than 6 months before submission of the statement. Newly hired staff does not include an employee transferring without a break in service from one facility to another when the facility is under the same management or ownership. 1. Evidence of a negative tuberculosis examination must be documented on an annual basis. Documentation provided by the Florida Department of Health or a licensed health care provider certifying that there is a shortage of tuberculosis testing materials, shall satisfy the annual tuberculosis examination requirement. An individual with a positive tuberculosis test must submit a health care provider’s statement that the individual does not constitute a risk of communicating tuberculosis. 2. If any staff member has, or is suspected of having, a communicable disease, such individual must be immediately removed from duties until a written statement is submitted from a health care provider indicating that the individual does not constitute a risk of transmitting a communicable disease. (b) Staff must be qualified to perform their assigned duties consistent with their level of education, training, preparation, and experience. Staff providing services requiring licensing or certification must be appropriately licensed or certified. All staff must exercise their responsibilities, consistent with their qualifications, to observe residents, to document observations on the appropriate resident’s record, and to report the observations to the resident’s health care provider in accordance with this rule chapter. (c) All staff must comply with the training requirements.
Staff Ratios: Facilities must maintain the following minimum staff hours per week: Number of Residents Staff Hours/Week 0-5 = 168 6-15 = 212 16-25 = 253
Cost of Licensing: $387.73 + $64.96 per bed
Bathrooms Required: A bathroom, with a toilet, sink, and bathtub or shower, that is shared by a maximum of 4 residents for a maximum ratio of 4 residents to 1 bathroom.
Memory Care Requirements: (10) ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AND RELATED DISORDERS (“ADRD”) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. Facilities which advertise that they provide special care for persons with ADRD, or who maintain secured areas as described in Chapter 4, Section 464.4.6 of the Florida Building Code, as adopted in rule 61G20-1.001, F.A.C., Florida Building Code Adopted, must ensure that facility staff receive the following training. (a) Facility staff who interact on a daily basis with residents with ADRD but do not provide direct care to such residents and staff who provide direct care to residents with ADRD, shall obtain 4 hours of initial training within 3 months of employment. Completion of the core training program between April 20, 1998 and July 1, 2003 shall satisfy this requirement. Facility staff who meet the requirements for ADRD training providers under paragraph (g) of this subsection, will be considered as having met this requirement. Initial training, entitled “Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Level I Training,” must address the following subject areas: 1. Understanding Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders; 2. Characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease; 3. Communicating with residents with Alzheimer’s disease; 4. Family issues; 5. Resident environment; and, 6. Ethical issues. (b) Staff who have successfully completed both the initial one hour and continuing three hours of ADRD training pursuant to sections 400.1755, 429.917 and 400.6045(1), F.S., shall be considered to have met the initial assisted living facility Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Level I Training. (c) Facility staff who provide direct care to residents with ADRD must obtain an additional 4 hours of training, entitled “Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Level II Training,” within 9 months of employment. Facility staff who meet the requirements for ADRD training providers under paragraph (g) of this subsection, will be considered as having met this requirement. Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Level II Training must address the following subject areas as they apply to these disorders: 1. Behavior management, 2. Assistance with ADLs, 3. Activities for residents, 4. Stress management for the caregiver; and, 5. Medical information. (d) A detailed description of the subject areas that must be included in an ADRD curriculum which meets the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection, can be found in the document “Training Guidelines for the Special Care of Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders,” dated March 1999, incorporated by reference, available from the Department of Elder Affairs, 4040 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-7000. (e) Direct care staff shall participate in 4 hours of continuing education annually as required under section 429.178, F.S. Continuing education received under this paragraph may be used to meet 3 of the 12 hours of continuing education required by section 429.52, F.S., and subsection (1) of this rule, or 3 of the 6 hours of continuing education for extended congregate care required by subsection (7) of this rule. (f) Facility staff who have only incidental contact with residents with ADRD must receive general written information provided by the facility on interacting with such residents, as required under section 429.178, F.S., within three (3) months of employment. “Incidental contact” means all staff who neither provide direct care nor are in regular contact with such residents. (g) Persons who seek to provide ADRD training in accordance with this subsection must provide the department or its designee with documentation that they hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university or hold a license as a registered nurse, and: 1. Have 1 year teaching experience as an educator of caregivers for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, or 2. Three years of practical experience in a program providing care to persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, or 3. Completed a specialized training program in the subject matter of this program and have a minimum of two years of practical experience in a program providing care to persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. (h) With reference to requirements in paragraph (g), a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a subject related to the content of this training program can substitute for the teaching experience. Years of teaching experience related to the subject matter of this training program may substitute on a year-by-year basis for the required Bachelor’s degree referenced in paragraph (g). (11) DO NOT RESUSCITATE ORDERS TRAINING. (a) Currently employed facility administrators, managers, direct care staff and staff involved in resident admissions must receive at least one hour of training in the facility’s policies and procedures regarding Do Not Resuscitate Orders. (b) Newly hired facility administrators, managers, direct care staff and staff involved in resident admissions must receive at least one hour of training in the facility’s policy and procedures regarding DNROs within 30 days after employment. (c) Training shall consist of the information included in rule 58A-5.0186, F.A.C. (12) TRAINING DOCUMENTATION AND MONITORING. (a) Except as otherwise noted, certificates, or copies of certificates, of any training required by this rule must be documented in the facility’s personnel files. The documentation must include the following: 1. The title of the training program, 2. The subject matter of the training program, 3. The training program agenda, 4. The number of hours of the training program, 5. The trainee’s name, dates of participation, and location of the training program, 6. The training provider’s name, dated signature and credentials, and professional license number, if applicable. (b) Upon successful completion of training pursuant to this rule, the training provider must issue a certificate to the trainee as specified in this rule. (c) The facility must provide the Department of Elder Affairs and the Agency for Health Care Administration with training documentation and training certificates for review, as requested. The department and agency reserve the right to attend and monitor all facility in-service training, which is intended to meet regulatory requirements. Rulemaking Authority 429.178, 429.41, 429.52 FS. Law Implemented 429.07, 429.075, 429.178, 429.41, 429.52 FS. History–New 9-30-92, Formerly 10A-5.0191, Amended 10-30-95, 6-2-96, 4-20-98, 11-2-98, 10-17-99, 7-5-05, 7-30-06, 10-9-06, 7-1-08, 4-15-10, 5-10-18. 58A-5.0194 Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders Training Provider and Curriculum Approval. (1) The Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders (“ADRD”) training provider and curriculum must be approved by the department or its designee before commencing training activities. The department or its designee will maintain a list of approved ADRD training providers and curricula, which may be obtained from http://usfweb3.usf.edu/trainingonAging/default.aspx. (a) ADRD Training Providers. 1. Individuals who seek to become an ADRD training provider must provide the department or its designee with the documentation of the following educational, teaching, or practical experience: a. A Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a health care, human service, or gerontology related field, or b. A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or licensure as a registered nurse, and: (I) Proof of 1 year of teaching experience as an educator of caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, or (II) Proof of completion of a specialized training program specifically relating to Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, and a minimum of 2 years of practical experience in a program providing direct care to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders, or (III) Proof of 3 years of practical experience in a program providing direct care to persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. c. Teaching experience pertaining to Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders may substitute on a year-by-year basis for the required Bachelor’s degree. 2. Applicants seeking approval as ADRD training providers must complete DOEA form ALF/ADRD-001, Application for Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders Training Provider Certification, dated November 2013, which is incorporated by reference and available at the Department of Elder Affairs, 4040 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-7000 and online at: http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-04000. (b) ADRD Training Curricula. Applicants seeking approval of ADRD curricula must complete DOEA form ALF/ADRD-002, Application for Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Disorders Training Three-Year Curriculum Certification, dated November 2013, which is incorporated by reference and available at the Department of Elder Affairs, 4040 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-7000, and online at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-04001. Approval of the curriculum will be granted based on how well the curriculum addresses the subject areas referenced in subparagraphs 58A-5.0191(4)(a)2., and 58A-5.0191(4)(a)5., F.A.C. Curriculum approval will be granted for 3 years. After 3 years the curriculum must be resubmitted to the department or its designee for approval. (2) Approved ADRD training providers must maintain records of each course taught for a period of 3 years following each training presentation. Course records must include the title of the approved ADRD training curriculum, the curriculum approval number, the number of hours of training, the training provider’s name and approval number, the date and location of the course, and a roster of trainees. (3) Upon successful completion of training, the trainee must be issued a certificate by the approved training provider. The certificate must include the trainee’s name, the title of the approved ADRD training, the curriculum approval number, the number of hours of training received, the date and location of the course, the training provider’s name and approval number, and dated signature. (4) The department or its designee reserves the right to attend and monitor ADRD training courses, review records and course materials approved pursuant to this rule, and revoke approval for the following reasons: non-adherence to approved curriculum, failing to maintain required training credentials, or knowingly disseminating any false or misleading information. (5) ADRD training providers satisfying the requirements of Section 400.1755, F.S., relating to nursing homes, and Section 400.6045, F.S., relating to hospices, will satisfy the Level 1 and Level 2 training provider requirements of subparagraph 58A-5.0191(4)(a)3., and paragraph 58A-5.0191(4)(a), subsection (5), F.A.C. ADRD training curricula satisfying the requirements of Section 400.1755, F.S., relating to nursing homes, and Section 400.6045, F.S., relating to hospices, will satisfy the Level 1 curriculum requirements of subparagraph 58A-5.0191(4)(a)3., F.A.C. Rulemaking Authority 429.178 FS. Law Implemented 429.178 FS. History–New 4-17-14.